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NOVEMBER 2009 - Page 4

SELLING SMART When Does Home Staging Pay Off For Sellers? Every home for sale can benefit from a pre-sale “buff and polish,” such as: beautifying the front yard and entry; replacing old carpet; painting in fresh, neutral colors; cleaning every corner; repairing every fixture; and decluttering. But sometimes sellers need to go the extra mile with professional home staging -- the art of maximizing a home's appeal to a wide variety of buyers. A well-staged home allows buyers to “mentally move in,” that is, to envision themselves living in the home with their own possessions (rather than yours). Should you go the extra mile with home staging? Consider it when: Competing nearby homes for sale have been staged to sell. Newly-built model homes in the area have set buyer expectations. Your first listing expired with no offers. Your home's décor is so uniquely personal it limits your buyer pool. The property is vacant. From experience, we guide our sellers in their staging decision. You do have several options: Do-It-Yourself. Get a book, such as “Home Staging for Dummies” (Wiley, $19.99). Agent Guidance. We make it our business to know the best ways to stage homes like yours in today's market. Room-by-room we will guide you as part of our package of home-selling marketing services. Paid Professional. A professional home-stager consultation can range from $250 to $600 or so depending on the size of the property. You can implement their plan yourself, or hire them to do it. Plus, if needed, home stagers can rent accessories for you, and even arrange for furniture rentals to transform your home for sale into “sold.” Why Keep It To Yourself? You may have friends, relatives or neighbors who would really appreciate learning the information provided in this newsletter -- feel free to pass it along. We hope to serve all your real estate needs and theirs too! Of course, we're always here for you if you have questions or you want to discuss today's opportunities in real estate. Our sincere thanks for all your referrals! ENERGY USAGE How To Cut Heating, Cooling Bills For Good Through the U.S. Department of Energy's Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), low-income homeowners stand to benefit from the addition of energy-saving improvements to their homes. If you qualify, energy audits are conducted on your home. Based on the energy audit and your home's energy use, a plan is created that details which types of energy-saving methods would be best for your home. (Improvements include such items as increased insulation, weather-stripping, new windows and doors, etc.) The average value of WAP weatherization services provided is $2,500 per home. Under this program, an average family's projected savings are estimated to be about $350 per year in heating and cooling costs. The reduction in utility bills for these families is a long-term savings because the upgrades made to the home are permanent.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Page  1 2 3 4